Since 1940, men have been required to register in the selective service. For women, it’s different.
Back in 2016, the Senate approved a bill that would require women to register for the draft if they turned 18 on or after January 1st, 2018.
The final version of that bill, signed by President Obama, did not include that amendment.
Captain Stephen Yaffe is the executive officer at the Lansing Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) and said women play an important role in the military.
“Ability to manage, to lead, to follow, to actively participate in combat,” he said.
He sees it everyday.
“We are largely women run in this organization,” he said.
With almost 5,000 people enlisting through the Lansing MEPS, women have a big part of it… about a third of all applicants.
But for some MSU students, they would be against the draft for women.
“I personally would not want to have to go into the military,” Oonagh Mckenna, civil engineering senior, said.
“I don’t think anyone should be required to enlist in the draft,” Maddy Hanton environmental engineering junior, said.
The last time the draft was called upon was in 1973 for the Vietnam War.
Even though it’s a requirement for men to register, Captain Yaffe said gender doesn’t determine the strength of a soldier.
“It comes down to who they are as individuals, just as it does for men.”